Residents are reporting to TLS about a man seen driving around in Lakewood, snapping photos of Frum children.
The man was seen driving around several streets in the Raintree area in a minivan, snapping photos of random children.
As always, if you see something suspicious, report it to authorities immediately.
Licence plate number?
Report to police. Snap a photo with the license plate. In any case the person is well within their rights to take pictures in a public place. Nevertheless, call the police, the police may find a reason to stop him/her. Taking pictures in public is not a crime. Unless there is reasonable cause to stop and question him/her it’s the cop who could get in trouble. The person does not have to answer any questions nor hand over the camera or phone. If the plate comes back with any type of prior outstanding violation or the owner is in violation of probation or has a warrant for arrest, police can’t do anything. Cops hands are tied …
Fake News
I saw this person trying to take pics as kids were getting off a bus in Raintree. A young normal looking male. Did not seem frum. Dark hair fair skin slight average build. The bus driver noticed and called him out on it. He was not in a car. I happened to see because I had stopped for the bus. Very weird.
At about 1245 I saw a van with 4 Jewish middle aged guys with florida license plates taking pictures and videos down a street near raintree. Thought they were collectors.
Also, as #2 pointed out, there is nothing illegal about taking pictures of publicly viewable scenes. Google Maps Street view also has scenes of children (off E 7th), and although they blurr faces slightly, you can still see (you can ask them to blurr more, if you like, but who says it’s a problem; maybe a nice lookiing face with good middos will be an inspiration to others!
Well, I wouldn’t want strangers taking pictures of my children, no matter how innocent he is, unless he asked permission first and had no ulterior motive.
My opinion
Then your only option is to keep them in strictly private
Places
Thats the cost of democracy
Theres no free lunch
May be the person(s) taking pictures was taking pictures because he/she saw something suspicious and needs proof. U never know, so make sure u are behaving.